Questioner: What do we wear caps for when we pray?
Huzoor (rh): You’re not praying now and still you’re wearing cap. Why?
Questioner: I don’t know.
Huzoor (rh): Tell me.
Questioner: I don’t know.
Huzoor (rh): Why are you wearing caps, all of you, without any apparent reason? But there has to be some reason, when you’re sitting alone by yourself, when you’re walking casually in your home, in your room, or playing, you don’t wear caps, do you? But when you appear in an important function, any formal function, in presence of those you respect, then you wear caps. Is that not right? That is why you are wearing caps today, because it’s a very important formal function and you want to look respectable. So it is a sign of our culture. In our cultural values, as against the British and other European values, when we cover our head, it’s a sign of respect. When we uncover our heads, it’s a sign of disrespect or at least casualness and informality. So the British normally takes their hat off, when they want to show respect. When they go to the courts, they’re not permitted to sit before their Lord Justices, with their heads covered. Why? Because to show respect. So to show respect is an established institution in human affairs. So when you go to God and appear before him, you must show respect by wearing your cap, covering your head, because it is customary with us to do that.
